NBA 2010 Preview: Five Reasons Glen Davis Should Stop Whining

During media day, Boston Celtics forward Glen Davis decided to show his resentment and anger regarding his lack of a defined role with the Celtics.

"I don't even know, I gotta find out what my role is," said Davis. "With Rasheed [Wallace] last year, I had to become a center. Now? I don't know. Do I become a [power forward]? Do I go back to playing the 4? We'll see."

Davis' agitated stance toward his uncertain role is bewildering considering the timing of his statements: the season hasn't even started.

"Now this year, you've got 5s, so I've just got to know what my role is again this year. [I've been] through some ups and downs with [head coach] Doc [Rivers], but as long as I find out what my role is, I'm going to do my role."

Glen Davis is in a contract year. He sees All-Star players alongside him in the rotation and is clearly concerned that he may be the odd big man out.

He's Not That Good

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Glen Davis is a career six-point, four-rebound player.

Generously listed at 6'9" (Davis is more than likely considerably shorter), Davis has put up impressive numbers during the last two postseasons when injuries, combined with other players' (Rasheed Wallace) ineptitude, caused him to take on a more prominent role with the team.

Davis plays an important role on the Celtics, and his energy gives the Celtics a solid spark off the bench. He has a consistent mid-range jumper and is not afraid to wrestle inside with players bigger than him.

With that being said, however, Glen Davis is not a very good player.

His lack of height creates mismatches on the defensive end of the floor, and his inability to get inside often makes him a one-dimensional player.

Over 40 percent of Davis' attempts last year were jump shots, and Davis' net productivity while on the court was negative.

Consequently, Davis has never shot 50 percent from the field, and he is fairly expendable when he is not knocking down his jump shot....which is often.

A player like Davis, who during his first season in the NBA fell into the role of spark plug off the bench for a championship team, should be more appreciative of his role and not question the strategy of the Celtics coaching staff.

At the end of the day, Big Baby simply isn't good enough to be making demands.

Doc Rivers

It seems that Doc Rivers, after the countless emotional outbursts from Glen Davis over the years, had grown to feel a certain apathy toward the tirades of the Big Baby.

However, Rivers' sentiment seems to be changing from apathetic to irritated.

"No, I'm not even worried about Glen Davis," Rivers said Tuesday when asked if he had a conversation with the player. "I think he's living up to [his Big Baby nickname]. I didn't even hear it, someone just told me. I'm not that concerned."

And in regards to Big Baby not understanding his role, Doc Rivers seemed even more irate:

"Let me put it like this: If Baby doesn't know his role by now, he's going to be sitting down a lot," said Rivers. "I'll just leave it that simple."

Doc Rivers is used to hearing childish remarks from Big Baby, and sometimes seeing tears, like after Kevin Garnett yelled at Davis following a poor performance. Rivers' latest remarks show a growing resentment toward Glen Davis' need to be the center of attention.

If Glen Davis wants to maximize on his contract year, he should let his on-court performance do the talking.

Contract Year

Solid contract year performances allowed Brian Scalabrine, Austin Croshere, and Brian Cardinal not only to remain in the NBA but to make millions of dollars.

Glen Davis is much more talented than the aforementioned players, so a good performance this year could allow Davis to get a healthy offseason contract.

With the age of the Celtics frontcourt, Davis should see a lot of playing time this year. If he stays out of Doc Rivers' dog house by controlling his emotional outbursts and sees the playing time he should with the Celtics' aging roster, Davis could earn himself a lot of money.

Playing Time

There are a lot of variables with the Boston Celtics roster this season.

The age of the team dictates that this is one of the last seasons the Celtics will be a viable playoff threat.

Outside of Glen Davis, Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins, and Nate Robinson, the Celtics' rotation contains a roster of players over 30 years old who are nearing the end of their storied careers.

The Celtics also have a lot of depth in the frontcourt.

Davis, who played fewer than 20 minutes a game last season, has already received a verbal warning from Doc Rivers that he needs to "understand his role," unless he wants to be on the bench for even longer stretches this upcoming season.

That role, presumably, is a player who talks less to the media and accepts his spot as a bench spark plug.

That means fewer piggyback rides for Nate Robinson and more dedication to team cohesion by being a player who makes fewer shocking statements and more efficient on-court decisions.

If Glen Davis wants to get in the good graces of Doc Rivers, see playing time, and maximize on his contract year, he should stop whining and concentrate on his on-court performance.